Re-printed with the permission of the Moose Jaw Times-HeraldCity judo club shines at Regina meetBy Times-Herald Sports Staff

Even when they send a small team to a competition the Moose Jaw Koseikan
Judo Club still manages to win a whole host of medals.

Only five members of the club took part in the recent Saskatchewan Open
tournament in Regina but still came away with nine medals.

Considering the number of high-calibre competitors at the event, including
some with international experience, the fact local players were able to
perform so well was quite impressive, according to coach Cliff Wiens.

“There were a lot of excellent players from all over the country and while
our fighters didn’t have to face many of them, they still gave a very good
accounting of themselves,” Wiens said.

“It shows how much many of our fighters have improved despite competing for
a very short time.”

The tournament was another good showing for Team Saskatchewan judo members
Kailey Large and Stephanie Legault who will represent the province at the
Canada Games which begin Feb. 20 in Corner Brook, Nfld.

Large ended up winning gold in the Juvenile Women’s under-52 kilogram
division as well as silver in the Junior Women’s under-52 kilogram division.

One of her competitors in the Junior Division was a member of the Manitoba
Canada Games team and even though the Manitoban was older and had much more
experience, Large was still able to hold her own.

“I think that match really showed how much Kailey has improved. She went up
against someone who was a very experienced competitor and pretty much took
her to the limit,” Wiens said.

Large defeated Legault in the final of the Juvenile Women’s Division, where
Legault was fighting “just to get experience against larger and stronger
competitors,” Wiens explained.

Fighting in her own weight class posed little difficulty for Legault as she
easily won gold in the under-48 kilogram class.

Mark Pivovar, a black belt in the sport, had a strong performance in the
Senior Men’s Advanced Division. He won bronze in the under-81 kilogram class
to go with another third place finish in the under-90 kilogram division.

Brian Smith won gold in the Juvenile Men’s 74 kilogram class, along with
silver in the Junior Men’s Division.

Steven Erickson was a silver medalist in the Junior Men’s under-90 kilogram
division.

Next action for the club will be next weekend when they travel to Swift
Current.